Bridge Deck Thermography: Revisiting ‘Bridges Freeze Before Roadway’ From a Safe Salt Perspective
Start Date
15-4-2021 9:30 AM
End Date
15-4-2021 10:30 AM
Student's Major
Mechanical and Civil Engineering
Student's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Mentor's Name
Stephen J. Druschel
Mentor's Department
Mechanical and Civil Engineering
Mentor's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Description
“Bridge Ices Before Road” is a road sign almost every driver has seen, however, the magnitude of that statement is not always known. Icy bridges pose a safety concern for drivers in winter weather conditions. Bridge decks freeze before surrounding roadways due to their exposure to wind and cold temperatures from all directions. Wind cools the bridge deck from the top, bottom and sides. Bridges also do not have insulation and warmth radiating from the ground that roadways do. These factors lead to the rapid formation of ice on bridge decks, which can cause drivers to lose control of the vehicle and crash. Plow drivers attempt to mitigate the problem by applying salt and other deicing mixtures, however, salt has a devastating impact on the ecosystems when it runs off into nearby bodies of water. Deicing performance is also sensitive because a fifteen-degree differential can cause up to an eight-fold difference in snow and ice melt. This greatly impacts deicing decisions, considering temperature differentials can occur within fifty feet of bridge deck length. Understanding how various construction and location factors impact the thermal response of bridges would help engineers design and maintain safer roadways for drivers. This research project analyzes the thermal response of various bridge types in winter weather conditions. Using a Forward-Looking Infrared Camera (FLIR) and laboratory experiments it was concluded that bridge material, orientation, size, and landscape underneath the bridge impact the rate at which bridge decks freeze.
Bridge Deck Thermography: Revisiting ‘Bridges Freeze Before Roadway’ From a Safe Salt Perspective
“Bridge Ices Before Road” is a road sign almost every driver has seen, however, the magnitude of that statement is not always known. Icy bridges pose a safety concern for drivers in winter weather conditions. Bridge decks freeze before surrounding roadways due to their exposure to wind and cold temperatures from all directions. Wind cools the bridge deck from the top, bottom and sides. Bridges also do not have insulation and warmth radiating from the ground that roadways do. These factors lead to the rapid formation of ice on bridge decks, which can cause drivers to lose control of the vehicle and crash. Plow drivers attempt to mitigate the problem by applying salt and other deicing mixtures, however, salt has a devastating impact on the ecosystems when it runs off into nearby bodies of water. Deicing performance is also sensitive because a fifteen-degree differential can cause up to an eight-fold difference in snow and ice melt. This greatly impacts deicing decisions, considering temperature differentials can occur within fifty feet of bridge deck length. Understanding how various construction and location factors impact the thermal response of bridges would help engineers design and maintain safer roadways for drivers. This research project analyzes the thermal response of various bridge types in winter weather conditions. Using a Forward-Looking Infrared Camera (FLIR) and laboratory experiments it was concluded that bridge material, orientation, size, and landscape underneath the bridge impact the rate at which bridge decks freeze.
